The organisation which runs the Peak Village retail park in Rowsley, near Chesterfield has reported major success at the centre in recent years.
In the past twelve months alone, Peak Village has welcomed 535,000 visitors through its gates and has now appointed new letting agents to capitalise on the centre’s recent growth.
Devonshire Property Group, part of the portfolio of Devonshire Group businesses, has appointed FHP Property Consultants to support with new lettings and lease renewal negotiations.
The new appointment follows strong 2023-24 performance at Peak Village with continued investment and proactive asset management from Devonshire Property Group delivering £8m in turnover for the financial year, up over £4m in the space of three years.
Amidst difficult trading conditions in the post-pandemic period, diversifying the centre’s offering, as well as delivering a mix of independent and high street brands, has also had a noted impact on footfall at the site, with over half a million people coming to sample what Peak Village has to offer.
In the last eight months alone, Peak Village has welcomed three new retailers to the centre, with Ashbourne-based premium lifestyle and country clothing and footwear retailer Henmores, local independent business Baxter & Co and artists and makers collective, The Derbyshire Makers all opening stores.
FHP will work with Devonshire Property Group to support the centre as it aims to continue evolving its retail and leisure mix to drive further footfall and attract local independent, luxury and national brands.
FHP has the largest dedicated retail and leisure team of any agents in the Midlands, and has claimed the EG award for “Most Active Retail Agent in the East Midlands” for 12 successive years and was ranked 5th nationally in 2023 for retail and leisure space transacted.
Katayune Jacquin, centre manager at Peak Village, added: “Devonshire Property Group is committed to bringing the most desirable, exciting and in-demand retailers to Peak Village. Working with FHP is a crucial part of our strategy for making the centre the go-to destination for both those from the region and the many tourists who visit Derbyshire every year. The past few years have been incredibly difficult for the retail industry, and I think it’s a testament to our resilience and approach to investment that Peak Village has not only been able to weather those storms but thrive.”
Tom Wragg, Associate Director at FHP said: “We are excited to be working with Devonshire Property Group in supporting the evolution of Peak Village and bringing premium retailer and leisure operators into the scheme alongside exciting independent and regional businesses. At FHP we pride ourselves in being a national agent with a regional presence which puts us in a prime position to attract the right mix of operators for Peak Village. We are already seeing strong levels of interest from high quality national retailers and look forward to building on that momentum.”
The Devonshire Group purchased Peak Village in 2021, with the aim of revitalising the centre by drawing on local expertise to enhance the site’s role in the economic and employment landscape of the Derbyshire Dales, as well as supporting the local community.
Significant investment since then – including ongoing work to transform the site’s central courtyard and Massarella conservatory to provide a modernised and more welcoming areas for customers – has enabled the site to continue improving and growing.
Devonshire Property Group supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
